Obama's Peace Prize

I think it's absolutely ridiculous. What has he done to deserve something like this? Especially when (thanks n4h) the deadline occurred when he had only been president for 10 days. And even if that weren't the case?
 
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StuckinTraffic
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I think they gave it to him because he represents a kind of hope for peace. Though I don't necessarily agree with the fact that he won it so soon, and before he actually DID anything, Obama did change the way the US interacts with the rest of the world in a good way just by being elected, and for that, we ARE closer to peace.
 
Mixed feelings. I like Obama, but even I would agree he hasn't earned this award. At all. At the same time though, I've heard nothing but crying about this all day. It's just an award, and it wasn't Obama who decided he should be honored with it. If anything, it's just given his detractors another thing to complain about and unlike some of the other things, this is completely out of his hands. Given the response to it, I'd hesitate to even call him getting the Nobel Prize an award.

So to summarize: does he deserve the award? No. Not at all.
Does it really matter that he got it when it's essentially a meaningless symbol decided by a select group of people who aren't us? No.
Does it make a difference in any of our lives? No.
Will we all forget about this and concentrate on something more important in a week? Absolutely.
 
But at the end of the day, it isn't and it doesn't. And I somehow doubt this is the first instance of it going to someone who wasn't the most worthy candidate, though he may be the most prominent and well-known of such winners. There are just so many more important things to worry about in the world (even things just concerning Barack Obama) for me to spare tears for a prize going to someone who may or may not have deserved it.
 
Much as I like both Obama and the Nobel Peace Price Committee, I'm surprised by this choice. His intentions are good, but I don't think intentions are enough. I want to see good actions. That said, I still think I'll fit in a trip to Oslo with the kids in December.
 
It has been my impression that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for an individual's ACTIONS toward promoting world peace, not by what they promised or implied that they would try to do in the future. It's like awarding a prize to someone who simply promised to find a cure for cancer. Certainly, they may be able to come through on their promises, just as Obama MIGHT be able to do everything that he has promised to do. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I always thought that prizes were awarder for results, not promises.
 
BuffyElevated
BuffyElevated
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Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers
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S
StuckinTraffic
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Actually, I hadn't heard this before.

My reaction: What?! in a very high pitched voice...I think that says enough.
 
I like him enough but he hasn't done anything yet!
I stop my friends from bickering all the time. I have improved relations and communication between them. Where's my Nobel Peace Prize?
 
I consider myself to be an Obama supporter, but I was shocked when I found out about this. I mean, talking about world peace is all good and well, but in my opinion, he didn't deserve to get the award because he has yet to prove he is acting towards peace. Now, if he had-for instance- brought the troops home, then yeah I'd say he might have deserved it. But so far all he's done is talk, so I think it should have been given to someone a lot more deserving.
 
Joan the Vampire Slayer
Joan the Vampire Slayer
Great summary. Agreed!
C
Crashing Doors
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Buffy Summers said:
I think it's absolutely ridiculous. What has he done to deserve something like this? Especially when (thanks n4h) the deadline occurred when he had only been president for 10 days. And even if that weren't the case?
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I actually agree. I was pretty shocked when I heard this.

Don't get me wrong, I love Obama. I voted for him, obviously.

But...the Nobel Peace Prize? That's a pretty big deal. When I think of that, I think of people who had dedicated their entire lives to peace - like Gandhi.

I don't know...I honestly thought it was a joke.
 
I don't necessarily think it was the best choice, but I can understand why it happened. He *did* make changes. He's completely changed the way the US deal with other countries, he's given hope to people, he's done something that so many people are afraid to do- tell the children what their parents *should* be telling them: to stay in school. He may not have done anything epic, but he's setting the ground for it and the things he's done can't be undone. They *were* important.

I also see it as a big ol' slap-in-the-fact to the Bush Administration.
 
It's too soon. Regardless of whether or not the Prize "matters" (does or doesn't depending on your own opinion--I personally don't know how I feel about it) it just seems a little rushed. There haven't been any results as of yet, just a lot of projects that may or may not end up working. I value his intentions, I look forward to what will happen and hope that it'll make us a better country, but... I don't know, and I'm wondering what kind of effect this will have on his future. He's already got enough on his plate, now he has the pressure of this Nobel Peace Prize on top of it? Personally, I feel bad for Obama. I have a feeling that in the near future, he'll deserve this award and should receive it then. Not now.
 
BuffyElevated
BuffyElevated
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faeriegrrl27 said:
I don't necessarily think it was the best choice, but I can understand why it happened. He *did* make changes. He's completely changed the way the US deal with other countries, he's given hope to people, he's done something that so many people are afraid to do- tell the children what their parents *should* be telling them: to stay in school. He may not have done anything epic, but he's setting the ground for it and the things he's done can't be undone. They *were* important.

I also see it as a big ol' slap-in-the-fact to the Bush Administration.
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Except he hadn't done any of that yet when he was selected. As I said, he'd only been President 10 days.

The Nobel Peach Prize is supposed to be for someone who HAS done something "epic" - not for someone who makes pretty speeches.
 
Buffy Summers said:
The Nobel Peach Prize is supposed to be for someone who HAS done something "epic"
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Past winners of the Nobel Peace Prize:

Yasser Arafat
Herny Kissinger

At worst, Obama is undeserving of this prize because he hasn't done enough. These two actually hindered peace in many ways. Arafat was connected with terrorist attacks and civilian deaths for years and years. Kissinger organized illegal bombings of Cambodia during the Vietnam War and helped establish dictatorships in Latin America.
 
Yeah, what Revolver said pretty much sums up the nature of the Nobel Peace Prize, it's never really been a prestigious prize, it just follows the political precedent set each year. A lot of the time this is a good choice, sometimes it's a bad choice, but it's never really been an accurate measure of someone's contributions towards peace.
 
It's also important to mention that Obama himself doesn't feel worthy of or feel he deserves the prize. He said this in an email everyone on his list received.
 
white avenger
white avenger
I could just see him saying something like "I proudly accept this well deserved award and pledge to redouble my efforts to promise without delivering anything throughout my term in office." At least that last part would be honest.
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